Separating or grading apparatus



T. F. WILKINSON.

SEPARATING 0R GRADING APPARATUS.-

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2,1914.

7 Patented July 20, 1920.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 2, 1914.

Patented July 20, 1920.

5 SHEEIS-SHEEI 3- T. F. WILKINSON. v SEPARATING 0R GRADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1914. i 1 ,347,3 14:. Patented July 20, 1920.

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T. F. WILKINSON.

SEPARATING OR GRADING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNEZ, 1914.

1 1,347,314. mummy 1 20.

V V f a LJ THOMAS FEWSTER WILKINsoN, or MANC ESTER; ENGLAND, ASSIG OFFICE.

NOR or ONE-HALF 'ro HERBERT TATLOCR WILKINSON, or MANCHESTER, ENGLAN]) SEPARATING QR, GRADING APPARATUS.

To all "whom it may concern: v Be it "known that l,- THOMAS FnwsTER WILKINsoN, a subject of the King of Great firitain and ireland, and a resident of Manc ester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separating or Grading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification:

' This invention relates to a new or improved separating or grading appliance.

The new apparatus comprises a horizontal table, member, or plane surface which has motionimparted to it both horizontally and vertically while it'maintains its own horizontality. .Such a motion may conveniently be imparted to the table or the like by means of a crank rotating around a horizontal axis combined with means for maintaining the table horizontal while any point on it follows a circular path in a vertical plane which corresponds to the path of the crank. Such means for preserving horizontality may comprise two parallel shafts running across .the table under opposite ends and parallel to the crank shaft which is between them, like bell crank levers on such shafts,

links from corresponding arms of the bell crank levers to support and to maintain the table in the proper horizontal position, and links connecting other like arms on the bell crank levers to insure simultaneous and like movements of the arms supporting the table. The table may be smooth and unperforated, or may be perforated or formed of sieving or screening material or fabric according to the material treated and the .nature or degree of separating or grading re quired, e r v For grading a material the components of which differ considerably in specific gravities a smooth and unperforated surface or table may be used. The material to be separated is fed to thecenter of the table. During the first half of the ascent of the table from its lowest position the heavier material acquires a momentum whichpropels it upward and away from the surface of the separator Whcnsuch surface loses ltS VBItlCitl speed as its horizontal movement reverses after passing half way through itsascending vertical movement; before the material fails the separator has moved farther in the reverse direction. Thus with a separator having a clockwise direction of rotation the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1920.

Application filed June 2, 1914. Serial No. 842,535.

ieavier material is at short intervals being thrown up and falls back again to a point a l ttle to the left of the point from which 1t IStlllOWll up. It is thus rapidly transferred to the left hand end of the separating surface. I

The lighter material having insuflicient gravity'tov be similarly thrown up remains on the surface of the separator during the upper half ofthe rotation. Being light it has -a tendency to float in the air or remain behind the point of the surface on which it has hitherto been carried when the horizontal traverse of the separator is reversed and the separator enters on the lower half of its revolution. Thus it is not carried back with the separator surface during this reverse horizontal movement and with a separator having the clockwise rotary motion described this light material is intermittently moved on to the right hand end of the separator. The materials and the speed of and length of the traverse of the separator surface'must be appropriate to obtain the described result.

For treatment of some materials, however, the'separating surface, while having the same motion imparted to it, may be formed of a suitable sieve, and the separation be effected by gradation through the sieve, A sieve having the motion described is extremely efficient; The overtails of the sieve will be moved to one end of the sieve surface or may even be separated and sent to opposite ends and there discharged and the throughs may be led away as desired.

Several separators of the type described may be arranged one below the other so that an upper separator may feed its materials or some. of them into a lower separator. They are preferably so mounted that the complete apparatus is absolutely balanced.

The crank pin which imparts its rotary motion to the separator may be adjustable in length of throw, and this adjustment may be automatically effected during the working of the apparatus to increase the throw from its minimum atthe commencement of dealing with a charge of material, to a maximum which appears most suitable to the material under treatment. This may conveniently be effected by mounting the crank pin to slide radially across its disk in a groove formedtherein. The pin may be moved by a screw engaging with it. By roltiil tatioii of the screw in one direction or the 1 other the crank pin can be moved outward toward theperiphery of the disk orinward to its center. The outer. end ofthe screw has a star wheel adapted to be angularly da -ma by overrunning, the screw may have its screw thread cut away at its ends, so that when the crankpinreacheseither end of its adjusting path the screw shaft rotates idly onfit. Springs press the crank pin toward the screw thread so as to cause engagement when the motionof the screw is reversed.

v sitioiis.

j The accompanying drawings illustrate various forms of apparatus constructed according toiny invention and will now be re- 'ferred to. I V

Figure l is a side view of an apparatus table H Fig. l is a d agrammatic view of the apparatus showing the table in different poused in the apparatus. 7

V Fig. .7 Fig. 1.

Figs. 8,9 and 10 are views from the side, the end, and in plan respectively of an apis a side view of the apparatus of ,pai atus comprising four grading and separating'sieves so disposed and combined as to forma completely balanced machine.

Figs. 11, '12 and 13 are diagrammatic representations of other arrangements ofseparators.

Referring firstto Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive.

A represents ah orizontal snioeth and nag perforated table. It 1S 11iClOS6Clbyit cover B, the center part of which has a feed hopper or opening C for entrance of themate rial to be graa i, The table is supported by links D D which are hinged to it andto'the corresponding arms of crank levers E E secured; to transverse. rocking shafts F F Secured to other COIfIeSPOiiCllngaImS of the crank levers arethe coupling rouse, H is a/ciank shaft provided with a variable throw 7 crank pin J. This crank pin is ournaled in a bracket H rigidly secured to the table A. The result of thisconstruction' and arrange "mentjof' parts is that, when the apparatus is working,'every part of the table has a circular path in averticaI plane which c'orre sponds to the circular path of the crank pin while the table is constantly maintainedin its horizontal position. Fig. 1 shows the crank pinat different positions'in its path,

conprising a single separating or grading and 6 are views of details such positions being indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3 and 4. Like numerals indicate the corresponding positions of the table, the po' sitio'nsf2, 3 and 4 being shoavn in broken 7 lines and 2 and iz-being coincident. The motion'of the material which is fed to a table hav ng the described successive I positions has heen'hereinbefore described. l

J J ndicate openings at the ends of the table A through which openings the graded or separated material overflows. K K are 7 links hinged to yet further arms of the crank levels. These links carry a tray K on which any required counterbalancing weights may he placed. L is a feed hopper secured to the stationary framing of the machine, its lower endlheiiig furnished with a feed roll L This; feed .roll is driven from a pulley H attached'tothe crank shaft H. M is a jockey pulley attached to an extension M from the handle M by' which the feed is controlled.

When the crank shaft has. commenced rotating and the table A has begiin to move effectively, the handle h 2 is pulled down, the jockey pulley M is pressed against the belt or band M andthe feed roll beginsto rotate. Unless the jockey pulley is pressed againstthe band, the band-is too slack to 7 drive the feed roll... The feeding of the ma terial can thus be "deferred until the table A or its. equivalent is movingsufliciently to deal with the material which is'fed to it. 7

It is preferred to start the machine with the Icrankpin J-atless than its effective maximum throw andto gradually move the crank pin awayfrom the axis of the shaft so that the path of movement of the'crank becomes larger. and larger as the working of the apparatus proceeds.

-How. thismay he done is particularly il-- lustrated by 2 to' 6 ofthe drawings.

The crank'pin Jf-is' secured 'to a slide J? which can slideiiiaradial slot in the plate N secured-to the end of the'crank shaft. This slide can be inoved by the screw J to any position from the ceiiter ofthe plate N (which'is coincident withltheflaxis of the. Y

crank shaft) to its periphery; The screw J carries on its end a star wheel 0. Asthis star wheel is carried aroui'id by; the plateh its rays or 'teetliengagei'with one or other of two pins 0} O These pins are'mounted on a handloperate dslide 'barlP (seefalso" Fig.1) so that ieitherfo'f them can be brought into'the pathofthe 'star' wheel. 'In'FigI at; one such pin ,isiin the pathof the wheel andjrotatesfit in one-direction; in Fig. 5 the other pin Otis 'in'the 'pathfof the star wheel I androtate's itin the opposite direction. Ac-

cording to the direction of rotation, given to the. star wheel and its screw the crank pin J will have itsthr'ow lengthened or shortened,

. The sliding bar can take up acentral position in which neitherv pii turns the wheel.

See Fig.

.The extent of throw given to the crank can be indicatedby a scale V which is attached to the standard W A is. a bracketattached to the table A and embracing the Figs. 11, 12 and 13illustrate diagrammat ically various arrangements of a number of separating surfaces each operated-to have the motion described in cooperative combination, indicating various ways of: collec ing and passing from one table to another or from one sieve toanother the various separated or graded materials. 'VSieves are shown 1n the two lowerelements of Fig. 13. The spouts or-the llke leadlng from one element to another are of such a nature as not to interfere with orprevent the motion of the elements from and to which they lead.

Figs. 8, 9 and illustrate an arrangement of' four cooperating sieves, tablesor the like each having the described motion andwhich constitute a properly balancedinachine.

The lower-sieveor table 'Ais'driven from and'through the medium of appliances already described with reference to Figs. 1

and I At each side of the stack of sieves at=abont half its height are two horizontally disposed rock ng levers 5 and 6 mounted on the same axis. They rock 1n opposite directions. At

each end of each horizontal rocking lever is mounted a vertical ro'c'king lever 7 and 8 lever 6 is mounted a vertical rocking lever 9 and 10. The vertical rocking lever '7 is in front of the vertical rocking lever 9 and the vertical rocking lever 8 in front of the vertical rocking lever 10. The upper end of the vertical lever 8 is providedwith a hinged upwardly projecting bracket 13 which by a rod 11 is coupled to a similar bracket 14: on the upper end of the vertical lever 9. The lower end of the vertical lever 8 is provided with a hinged upwardly projecting bracket 13 which by a rod 11 is coupled to a similar bracket 14 on the lower end of the vertical lever 9. In the same way the upper end of the vertical lever 7 is provided with a hinged downwardly projecting bracket 15 which by the rod 12 is coupled to a similar bracket 16 on the upper end of the vertical lever 10. The lower end of the'vertical lever 7 is provided witha hinged downwardly projecting bracket 15 which by a rod 12 'is coupled to asimilar bracket 16 on the lower end of the vertical. lever 10. The rods 11, 12 and 11 12 at one side of the stack are connected with the corresponding rods at the other side of the stack by the transverse bars 1. upon which the separators rest.

The upper ends of the outer pair of vertical levers at each side the stock are connected by a rod the rod 18 connecting the vertical levers '7 and S in front of the machine and the rod 19 connecting the vertical levers 9 and 10 at the back of the machine.

The lower endof the vertical rocking lever '7 carried by one end the horizontal lever 5 is connected to the bottom sieve as is also the lower end of the vertical rocking lever 10 carried by the opposite end of the other horizontal rocking lever G. The bottom sieve has the desired motion communicated to it by the crank, and the motion given to such bottom sieve is co niunicated to the arms of the vertical-rocking levers 7-1O and also to the horizontal rocking levers 56. The other sieves are so connected to the arms of the vertical rocking levers ?1() as .to result in a balanced motion. The connection is such that the top and bottom sievesmove vertically in the same direction.

and longitudinally in the opposite directions. The second sieve fromthe top moves longitudinally with the top one but verti cally in opposite directions; the third from thetop moves vertically with the second but longitudinally oppositely and also moves vertically in the opposite direction but longitudinally in the same direction as the fourth and bottom sieve.

convenient arrangement comorises four separators arranged vertically-one above the other. The upper separator may be of the unperforated smooth plane surface type. The material to be graded by it, say broken grain, is fed to the middle of its upper surand at each end of the horlzontal rocking face. The solid grain particles and like heavy materials are transferred to one end of the separator; the chaff and branny particles are transferred to the other end and may be at once led away. The heavy particles may be led by a spout to the next separator below which contains a sieve.

The materials treated may be any suitable substances. The course of the material through the apparatus shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is as follows. Each element is provided with a sieve. The coarse material is fed to the center of the upper sieve. The overt-ails of this sieve pass away through spout the throughs of the sieve are carried by a spout Q to the sieve in the element below. From the sieve of this element the ovortails are led away through spout R; the throughs are led by spout R to the sieve of the third element. The ovortails of the third element areled away through spout S; the throughs are led through spout S to the fourth element. From the fourth element the ovortails are led away through spout T .The material being graded orseparate d may be dried or may be treated by any-gas' or Vapor by having hot or cold: air! or the required gas or vapor drawn through it or through theapparatus in which it is being treated.

Instead of being horizontal, both longitudinally in the direction of travel, of the J material and transversely, the gradingior separating surface or sieve need only be horizontal in the direction. of travel of the material, that is as vieivedin Fig. 1. From the point of view of l ig'. T the table, sieve, or the like may be curved, or of a shallow Veshape or withundulations.

lVhat I claim is 1-.-

1. A grading, separating or like appliance comprising a horizontal table, a bracket secured to the IlDdGI'SlQlG at, about the ,nnddle of said table, acrank adapted-to impart con: tinuous, uninterruptedand complete circular motion in a "vertical planeto said: table and situated below the said bracket, thepin of the said crank being journa-led in said bracket, 'andlinks so arranged that-circular."

motion in a vertical plane is given. to the table while it always retains a l101',1ZOI1tLl.pQ-,

and situated below the saidbracket, the pin of the said crank being journaled in said= bracket, nieansfor adj usting the distance of 'said pin from the center of; said crankduring the Working of the applianceto regulate the extent of motion OftllflllOllZOlltitl' table in a vertical plane, and linksso arranged that motion in: a vertical plane is givenlto the table while it always retains a: horizontalposition, substantially as and, for the pur: pose described: e Y:

The comhinationfin tal tables-located; one-Yabove the-other, a

bracket secured tothe underside andat about the middle of the lowest of the said tables, a crank adapted to-Qimpar't circular motion in avertical plane tosaid tableand situatedbelow the, saidfbracket, the pin of the said crank being journaled'- in said 7 bracket, linksfand levers: so arra'ngedthat motion in a vertical plane is given toithe table While t alivays retains-a hor aontalgposition, and leversiconnectingthe saldtables sothat the directionsof the combined VET-ti? cal andlongitudinal motion of. any one table a grading, separate mg orlilce' appllance, of a series of. horizonis different to the directions of the combined 7 vertical and longitudinal; motion of any otherv table of. the series, substantially, as and forthe purposehereinbetore set forth.

4t. it separating" or grading; apparatus comprising a tray, neaiis; for imparting to said traya continuous, uninterrupted and completecircular motion in a vertical plane,

means vfor maintaining.saidtrayiin exact. horizontahsm during :such c rcularmotion whereby, eachipoint on said tray moves in a verticaljcilioular pathof the'same diameter, and means-tor va trying the amount of circular motion imparted to;the tray.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto, set

1my, hand in the presence of; two subscribing witnesses.

riioivni 's FEW S lVitness esfr i V. I, L

Jo-HN OCONNELL, ERA A." HnYs.

:En' WILKINSON: 

